10 November 2008

There are a couple of blogging events that I try not to miss each month. One of these would be the Royal Foodie Joust. Jenn over at Leftover Queen is one of the very first blogging friends I ever made in the blogosphere so how could I miss it. She is relatively newly married to her "knight in shining armor" Roberto and is living happily ever after in Florida. She is the founder of The Foodie Blogroll which you will find in my sidebar as well as the Royal Foodie Joust. Thanks Jenn for continuing with this event and keeping our thinking caps on!

As time goes on this event becomes more of a challenge to our creativity as more and more talented cooks enter with their increasingly complex and delicious dishes. This is definitely the Iron Chef competition of the blogging world!!! It's fun just to enter the competition and come up with a dish using the 3 ingredients.

The premise of the Joust lies on the shoulders of the previous months winner who chooses three ingredients; we create a dish using these three key ingredients and then submit it to the forum for voting by our peers.

Last months winner was fellow British Columbians TS & JS of Eating Club Vancouver . The 3 ingredients for this month they chose are:

coffee, black peppercorns and honey

Yes, that's right, this chicken breast is brined in a coffee mixture. For those of you who feel that chicken breasts are too dry you will appreciate this method of cooking to ensure tender and juicy breasts. But don't worry the flavor of the coffee is a small addition to all the other flavors in this recipe and does not overpower the dish. Grill the chicken breasts at a high temperature and quickly to keep them tender and moist.

I paired the grilled chicken...can you believe I am still grilling in November???????????????????? with a Southwestern Rice dish that stood up very well with the chicken breasts. The rice dish is a variation of a rice dish from Canada's own Michael Smith .

In a small saucepan bring one cup of water to a boil. Add salt and sugar stirring until dissolved. Add coffee, lemon slices, peppercorns, mustard and coriander seeds. Pour into a shallow baking dish or resealable bag. Add chicken breasts, making sure they are covered in the brine. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Preheat grill. Remove chicken breasts from brine and place on hot grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until done. Brush with Coffee Honey Barbecue Sauce (recipe below).

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until it turns a golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the coffee, vinegar, tomato sauce, honey, soy sauce, cayenne pepper and black pepper and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Makes 2 cups

Tip: The sauce can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container

Place pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic and red pepper and sauté until they are fragrant and soften. Add the chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, salt, rice, soaked beans, water and tomatoes and stir. Once the mixture comes to a boil turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and let rest for 15 minutes. Stir well and adjust seasonings.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

Can this brine be used for meat? We've been thinking to brine our home-killed chickens and then smoke them. I love a slow preparation of food like this, tastes so much deeper than those cooked faster. Lovely entry for Joust. I always forget that this event is still running :)

Wow, what a flavor punch this dish provides. That BBQ sauce sounds terrific, and I bet it tasted so good on that brined chicken! And I love the rice and beans ... a lot! Even with the rainy weather the Pacific Northwest is famous for, I still grill year round (gas grill). I get such a kick out of the rain drops hitting and sizzling dry on the grill hood! Great recipe!

Now that IS unusual... and a crazy coincidence because just this week I have been eyeing out a recipe I clipped ages ago in South Africa for roast lamb in coffee. Maybe it's a sign that I should have a go!

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 9 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.